Several British Internet Service Providers have started to block websites for merely linking to proxies of The Pirate Bay, the peer-to-peer file sharing filing site. The ISPs, including Virgin and TalkTalk, are required by law to block TPB website itself, but by blocking websites for the “crime” of hosting links, they are taking censorship in a worrying direction.

Of particular concern is the decision by Virgin and Talk to block piratebayproxy.co.uk, a website mainly dedicated to providing news coverage of TPB.

By linking to a proxy here, Techno Guido is presumably in breach of the ISPs arbitrary new rules..

Update:TalkTalk are claiming that they are legally obliged to block piratebayproxy.co.uk as the website’s ” predominant purpose” is to link visitors to TPB/proxies/

Quote of the Day

“I have worked with him when he was Foreign Secretary. I will work with whoever the Prime Minister is. I haven’t had a phone call yet to ask me to run his campaign in Scotland. I am not expecting the call. But I will genuinely judge him on the same criteria as I judge any of the candidates.”